It’s been a while between blog posts… to be honest I kind of ran out of things to say toward the end 2018. My mojo took a one-way ticket to a tropical island and forgot to tell me where to find it.
Long story short, I got an overwhelming case of “we’re F&%ed, so why bother” and unfortunately there’s no easy cure for that. I’m sure I’m not alone. Working in the environmental field can be both inspiring and desperately, overwhelmingly depleting. Admittedly, it wasn’t just the state of the environment that got me down; it was also the growing levels of public disenchantment, hate and fear.
I read articles about how we must stop obsessing over individual action and focus more on activism and collectivism…. A confronting thought for someone who heads an organisation firmly grounded in the power of the individual.
Maybe it was the 10-year itch (did you know we turn 10 this year!) but I wondered if Sustainable Table, if we, should be aiming ‘higher’, should be doing more, and if so, how?
Suddenly posting on social media seemed fickle and pointless. And on any given day, all these things are indeed true. Social media can lead you down a rabbit hole of endless scroll and no action.
Then one night, just as I was gearing up to bury my head in the sand, my children and I noticed that our backyard corn was ready to harvest. My five-year-old son Luca asked if he could do the honours and carefully detached the corn from its stalk and peeled back the leaves to reveal luscious, bright yellow, slightly imperfect kernels. My often-fussy eater asked if he could take a bite right there and then and proudly announced, “Mum, that’s the yummiest corn I’ve ever tasted”.
It was damn delicious, I’ll give him that, but it was the act of growing and picking it that made it taste that much sweeter.
Over the Christmas break we cooked with greens, sage and basil from the garden and ate Flathead we’d caught ourselves. Luca had given everything a try because he was involved in the process of procuring and preparing it.
On Saturday I took Luca to the bulk food store. He competently grabbed a stool to stand on and refilled three jars of washing powder, filled a jar of sultanas for his sister, asked to try a new cereal and convinced me to fill a jar of honey – not because we really needed it, but because he loves to dip his finger in the jar just before putting the lid back on. A couple walking through the store smiled, saying “look, how cute is that, he’s obviously done this before”.
And you know what? That’s worth working towards.
These small actions, although not work-related, are very much aligned with the messages of Sustainable Table. In and of themselves they won’t curb runaway climate change or stop people from yelling words of hate at each other. But what they can do is allow us to live a little better and to connect with our community, and with each other.
At a singular level, these actions are nothing more than small-scale personal behaviours. If we all took them, it would be collectivism.
Having said that, it’s true that each of us shouldn’t ignore the bigger picture. Each of us should think about taking larger-scale action too like attending rallies, writing to politicians, signing petitions and engaging their networks in change. We need to force change from the top-down as well as from the ground-up.
Who’s likely to drive this kind of change? I believe the people most likely to lead the charge are the ones who are taking those small individual steps to live a better life. From little seeds grow mighty trees. That’s the essence of Sustainable Table’s work.
So, what’s the take-home message? It’s that WE’RE BACK and ready for a fabulous 2019, full of seasonal food, practical on-the-ground projects and events AND a little big-picture thinking to boot. Thanks for your patience and for following along. Stay tuned, we love having your support.
Thank you. I too had read the “collectivism” article and wondered if I was doing it wrong. Your article hits the nail on the head though. What is the point of collectivism if you are not aware of things at a grass roots level. Giving children the knowledge of where our food comes from, and an ethical conscience about it is critical to changing things. They are the ones that will shape our world very soon. From little things big things grow. 🙂
Thank you Janine, sounds like we are on the same page. We need people approaching this from all angles. Cassie
Cassie I love this article. That’s exactly the way to look at it. Our children are our future and if we can teach them, show them and lead them the right direction we are on the right track on individual level as well as community.
Thanks Lucia, so glad you could relate to this article, and YES, if we can raise little beings that are mindful of their impact and empowered to engage in positive change, then there is hope! Cheers, Cassie
Really fab article to start the year off. Let’s just call it ‘Cassie’s corn collective’ – each corn kernel represents the individual’s actions (whether it be growing, cooking, educating our kids) and tastes so damn delicious. The entire cob is collective action and can create a beautiful side dish. Mix up the corn with other collective ingredients and we have the opportunity to truly create collective impact and flavour-packed meals to feed our families, community and the world!
Haha, you make me laugh Gabrielle, I love they way you’ve entwined the messages of the blog post into a huge Corn Collective vision, I’m feeling even more inspired now! Sustainable Table, tacking today’s environmental challenges, one kernel at a time x
Welcome back Cassie, so glad to ‘see’ you again.
I love Sustainable Table and all that it stands for, and am with you…it’s up to individuals.
10 million individuals make 10 million differences. Little things make a Big difference.
Thank you so much
ps.I love your idea Gabrielle
Hi Julie, It looks like we may have our third member of the Corn Collective right here… You are so right Julie, many small actions evolve into groundbreaking things. Thanks, Cassie
I love your blog but can’t attend the events as I live in Sydney. Any equivalent group here please?
Thank you so much Diane, maybe check out 1 Million Women and the Youth Food Movement. Hopefully we’ll make it to NSW one day!
Great article, Cassie. I’ve been feeling the same level of overwhelm and helplessness after this crazy summer we’ve had. I’m now a mum of teens and hoped that their upbringing in a busy blended family with 50% of my values / lifestyle making an impact – which it did for many years, but there’s something about teenagers that defies comprehension – bad eating habits, poor choices, etc. I just hope it’s a mild form of temporary amnesia and they go back to living their values once they’re out of home!
Hi Emma-Kate, this exact topic came up at a workshop I ran on Saturday. An attendee was reflecting on what a dream it was to shape the little minds of children, but then they turn into teenagers and rebel against all that. Her sons were insisting on carrying their lunch in plastic bags like “all the other kids” rather than being proud of their zero waste ways. I’m clearly not at that life-stage, although I’m mildly dreading the loss of control over many things to do with our children once they hit that age. I do hear and read that they come back around. Many people reflect on being embarrassed by their ‘hippie’ parents and then find themselves acting in exactly the same way later in life… here’s hoping your tribe return to the incredible values you have instilled x
this is epic. great website!!!!
esketit
I hate this website delete now your destroying the world eat a fat one. mate
Bravo Cass x
Hi there, first time I’ve found you – great article and please keep doing what you are doing. I’m scratching my head as to how we can influence supermarkets, fast food chains and government to put people, animals and the planet first before profits and encourage people to eat less meat – much less. I can completely understand your feelings of overwhelm and implore you to keep doing what you do. Anyone who needs convincing needs to watch the documentary, Dominion on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQRAfJyEsko – it is truly heartbreaking what is happening behind the scenes of the supermarket meat section or the drive through and even “ethical” butcheries. Well done to you on a great initiative and fabulous site. We need more like you x
Hi Kim, thank you for your comments – I agree we need to start placing the planet and animals ahead of financial gain. Industrial agriculture and the treatment of animals is abhorrent and whilst we do not take a exclusively vegan stance, we encourage the reduction of meat consumption and seek to guide people to make choices that don’t support factory farming. We value being able to have a positive dialogue with those who choose to eat meat just as much as we value those who are vegetarian or vegan. Thanks again for your input and thanks for caring, the world needs more people like you!
Cass
Thank you for sharing and don’t give up. You ignite and inspire others in a way that creates a wave that is building.
For eg your vulnerability and authenticity has activated me to do more.
Whilst I compost, forage and keep bees I have also found your site and newsletters give me the stories I can share with others to lift them from despair to taking first steps. Including having tough conversations with corporate leaders.
Best wishes
M
Hi Michaela, thank you so much for reaching out and for your beautiful words, they mean so much. So often you only hear the negative things, so it is wonderful to learn that Sustainable Table is making a difference in the way we choose to communicate and share our stories. Keep doing what you’re doing! Cheers, Cass x